The Long Hard Road to Happiness
by Roseville
Summary: Dawn Morrison was known as the whore's daughter but she was determined to show the County she wasn't just the whore's daughter. With Walt and Henry she had strong allies and finding her way to happiness. Who is her father? and what is with these changing feeling for an annoying Reservation Officer.
1. Chapter 1

_This is my Longmire Story. I own nothing and get no money. My other stories are being edited now. Only constructive Critism. I am creating a poll for this story so partcipate_.

Dawn Morrison was sitting in the Sheriff's vehicle on their way to the Cheyenne Reservation. You see when Sheriff Walt Longmire put the Reservation's Police Chief in jail for extortion six months ago; let's say Officer Mathias wasn't happy. He had told Walt that he would punch out Walt next time he set foot on the reservation.

"So do you think we'll get a fruit basket?" Dawn looked over at Walt as they turned into the reservation.

Walt looks at his deputy and as much as her comment may be juvenile he can't help but smile. Dawn Morrison was a surprise when she came to him and Absaroka County two years ago, her mother had left with her when she was two years old and never came back. Barbara Morrison was what many in Absaroka County would refer to as the town whore, Barbie as she was called by her male patrons was discerning and high priced so the candidates for Dawn's father were limited. Dawn came back two years ago when her uncle, Les Morrison left her a farm in the county and a business right inside the Cheyenne Reservation limits. She has never come right out and said it but Walt suspects that her mother sold her to a man or two for sex during her childhood. Deputy Morrison has added to his team, she had spent three years on New York City's Vice squad, an invaluable member when it came to interrogation and hostage situations. Walt looks to her as another daughter, one who just needs to be accepted for who she is and that he does try to do.

Walt doesn't respond because indeed the Reservation Police are sandwiching them, an SUV behind them and Mathias's cruiser in front. He believes that all Mathias needs is some persuasion and so he parks his Bronco and steps out with the lists.

"Stay here and don't move" he tells Deputy Morrison.

Dawn rolls her eyes, "Okay but when he throws tomatoes at you don't come crying to me."

Dawn sits and no sooner than Walt walks up to the front of the truck, Mathias sucker punches Sheriff Longmire. "What the fuck" Dawn jumps out the beaten up truck and finds herself in front of Officer Mathias and her fist in his face that she only realizes it when she hears the crack of the impact as his nose breaks. Next thing she knows Walt has his arms wrapped around her and has her turned around facing the truck shielding her from Mathias rebuttal. She doesn't have to worry because one of his men has him held back and Mathias has blood running down his nose.

"That bitch" Mathias screeches.

"You're a coward and a pussy." Dawn railed against Walt.

"Stop the both you or I'll put you both in jail." Sheriff Walt Longmire commands them as he keeps a hold of Dawn.

One of Mathias fellow Officer's gives him something to wipe off the blood from his nose and face.

"So did you guys come here to beat up on the Reservation?" Mathias spat out.

"No we came here to talk to the men that are on our list, ones that own a particular high powered rifle." Walt bit out as he slightly let his grip on Dawn.

"Why would we help you?" Mathias responded

"You know what Walt, they don't care about justice, their police chief was skimming funds. Maybe Mathias is just like his police chief." Dawn snipped as Walt rested her against the hood of his Bronco and kept himself slightly in front of her.

This got under Mathias's skin, he was not like the old police chief. As much as he hated to admit it, Deputy Morrison had a point and she also had a tough right hook. "Fine give me a list we'll check it out, think this a joint task force."

Walt gave him the list, "Give us a call with what you find." Walt walked Dawn and opened the now broken handle in the truck and made she was in before he made his way in.

When he got in Dawn was sure she would get it but he didn't say anything in his Walt way. The first words out of his mouth wasn't about the fight but were about coffee.

"So you need some coffee?" Coffee was Walt's precursor to asking Dawn if she wanted to talk about it, as in some deep seeded childhood issue.

"Yeah, a little bit. " This meant that she would give a little info but not enough to where there were tears or a big confession.

They drive into Durant and he goes into the only diner in town, the Busy Bee. She stays in the truck this time and gets a call from Vic and Branch, the other owners of the high powered rifle so far have alibi's.

"So how did it go on the Reservation." Vic asking for some amusement, knowing the Mathias and her hate each other. Dawn hated his cockiness and blindness and he couldn't stand it that she was female.

"Well, I punched Mathias after he punched Walt. He still hates us and we aren't invited back."

Vic smiled at that, even though Vic had a good six years on the fellow deputy she respected the younger woman. Dawn life experiences had left a mark on her and Vic wanted to be a big sister she could lean on.

"As a fellow deputy have to say what were you thinking but as a woman , I say you go girl."

After a few more minutes of giving Vic a play by play, Walt comes out with coffee, sits beside her on the picnic table down the street from the Busy Bee and it's time to get serious. Dawn hangs up with Vic and they head for their place in the park.

"So you want to tell me why you got Red Sonya on Officer Mathias?" Walt asks as they walk to their spot in a secluded part of the park.

Dawn knows why, Officer Mathias just gets under her skin, stirs up shit she sooner forget. "He just gets under my skin and he did punch an officer of the law."

Walt smiles, "You did too."

"Yeah but he threw the first punch." She argued

"That he did." He wrapped his arm around her.

After sitting for a few moments of silence, "Did you compare me to Red Sonya, have you actually seen that movie?" Dawn's nose was scrunched up with annoyance and amazement.

"A long time ago, I don't think I ever told you how much I appreciate what you did for me. Not many people would have done that and they way you did, I am so sorry I made you do that."

Dawn knew what he was referring too, the only people knew were Walt, Henry, and her, the only ones he trusted to do that for him. The only ones he called and the only ones he would drink with when that was running through his mind. Dawn felt that if they didn't have one another they would've cracked by now, both drowning their miseries in drink and self destruction.

Walt pulled her close, wrapping arm around her waist and kisses the top of her head. There was silence between them but the sound of the wind and a few passing cars from the street was the only thing to marginally cut through.

Across the street, a prominent member was watching this, one Jacob Nighthorse was perplexed by this and thinking it strange that a sheriff and his deputy would share that kind of space. He would have to think and watch this situation.


	2. The Three Musketeers Part 1

VOTE FOR MY POLL. HELP ME OUT(You can find it on my profile page). This chapter is short and sweet and gives a little background.

**Lovers, Brother, Fathers**

Dawn was sitting at Walt's kitchen table, he and Henry were sneaking onto the Reservation tonight and talking to Lily's mother May, Grant was Lily's father and had died trying to find her. Walt had told her that he didn't want her to become too involved in the case, it did have some parallels to her life but not as many as he thought. She knew how to separate a case from her personal life.

Lighting a cigarette would calm her nerves Dawn continued to nurse the beer in her hand. It never came to her that Walt would question her ability to separate and keep her past in her past. Dawn sat for a long time wondering if they would be caught by Mathias? She actually owed land on the reservation why wasn't she asked to go? It made no sense in having Walt arrested for trespassing not that she didn't think Henry could get him there and back without being detected.

She heard them before she saw them. Henry and Walt were back and they both entered Walt's house with no words, Walt put his hat on the table across from her and made it to the fridge and grabbed three beers. He tossed on to Henry and then one to her to, he kept one for himself. Dawn looked up as she opened hers and took the first swig.

"So, what's going on? Or am not allowed to know because I just won't be able to handle the truth?"

Henry for his part said nothing he looked between Walt and Dawn, wondering how long they would fight over this one.

"May called Grant Parkford for help finding Lily, she thought he wasn't interested so she gave up hope. May didn't know that Grant had gone up here looking for Lily. Grant got an inkling Lily would be in the RV, that is what got him killed. "

Last year at this time, Henry, Walt, and Dawn formed a bond that would probably never be broken. Walt had driven Martha to Denver for treatment for her cancer and Dawn was going to join them a few days later, keep Martha company and keep Walt from smothering the poor woman. Martha Longmire was stabbed in the parking lot of some restaurant while Walt and Dawn were out arguing over who would pay the tab.

They all went back to that night and sat around the table and played cards to the wee hours of the morning. Henry and Dawn made sure that Walt didn't drown his sorrows in the beer, at least no more than they did at times. Henry could never quite pin down his feelings for Dawn, whether or not they were ones of a brother, lover, or father. He could never get it quite right, when he tried the fatherly approach she looked at him like he landed from Mars. Brother only landed them both incredibly drunk and telling dirty jokes especially about Branch Conally. Lover, they did kiss once, right after the Sweat Lodge a few months ago, they were both hot and feeling not quite so jumbled and he kissed her. She had received it well enough, she kissed him back with tongue. Oh, the tangled webs they had all woven.


	3. Gathering Up Info

**Gathering Up some Info**

**Please vote on my poll. Thank you.**

The next day, Walt had been going through all the evidence in his head at his desk. Still some of this didn't make sense. Who owned the RV that Lily was in? Where was it now? Far away from his jurisdiction if they had any smarts but someone knew. Cady came that morning, she was worried. She had heard about the accident and heard he had been drinking. She also wanted him talk to someone but he didn't want to talk to Cady about his guilt of her mother's death. No, Walt had already done what he wanted about Martha's death.

Dan had been standing in his office when he came in that morning. He had some more names on the list of people who had owned a Sharp's rifle and wanted the sconces on the wall. Walt had sat a little while longer and remembers where he had seen the belt buckle design before. The Ten Point Ranch, it was time for him and Vic to make a visit, he would've taken Dawn with him but she was out looking into the trailer.

"Vic we're taking a trip." Walt came out of his office as he was putting on his coat.

Vic went after him and when they got there they told the owner to gather his workers so they could decipher whose pants they were. As the men were standing in front of Vic and him no one was going to cop to them being theirs so Vic told them to drop their pants so they could find out.

"Well, Hello Cinderella." Vic pronounced after 25 minutes of six of the men trying them on.

Morrison Family Ranch

After making some phone calls and trying to find Lily's friend and any info on her she could. Dawn made her way to the barn to check on her horse Margot before she drove out to Natasha's friend's house, she was willing to talk but not till 3 pm. Dawn was having a good day until she saw the Reservation Police Cruiser pull in her driveway.

"Oh, shit." Dawn put down the bucket and walked towards the car with Officer Mathias in it.

He got out of the car with a neutral expression on his face. "Deputy Morrison I hear you have an interview with one of the girls on the reservation."

Dawn stood there she didn't want to punch him again but she wasn't going to let him ruin this investigation either. "Yeah, she'll only talk to someone with tits like her, so you are out of luck Officer Mathias."

He grinned, "As that may be I insist. This is my jurisdiction as I recall this investigation was a joint taskforce."

"Joint taskforce? Really Officer was that after you punched a County Sheriff? I think I will go solo on this one, you know some of us are good at solo." Dawn challenged Mathias.

"You know I can arrest you for obstruction."

"Please by all means arrest me officer." Dawn held her hands out like she being arrested.


End file.
